Current-regulating plug and socket



APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, I920.

Patented May 4, 1920.

ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTONIO PAPINI, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO A. MECKY COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVAN IA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1920.

Application filed January 29, 1920. Serial No. 354,832.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ANTONIO PArINI, a subject of the King of Italy, having resided in the United States one year last past and having declared my intention of becoming a citizen thereof, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Current-Regulating Plug and Socket, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to elec-- tric regulators or rheostats for use in con nection with electric circuits designed both for lighting purposes and in connection with medical batteries or other devices, including dynamos and motors, to which electrical current is supplied and caused to pass through a resistance material, which is preferably an impalpable graphite mixed with pulverized mica, but may, of course, be of other composition, so as to form a more or less elastic material which in certain types of regulators is adapted to be compressed to increase its conductivity or loosened to increase its resistance, in order to increase or diminish the force or strength of the current passed through it, so as to regulate the brilliancy of the light or the potency of the motor or other device to which the current is applied.

My present invention relates more particularly to a current regulating socket invented by me, which forms the subject-matter of an application for patent filed December 1st, 1919, as Serial No. 341,758, which comprehends a regulator in which there is no varying compression or control of the resistance material which is contained as a mass within the casing of the regulator and is divided by current conveying plates in such manner that only a predetermined area of the mass lengthwise considered is subject to the passage of the current to control the conductivity of the resistance.

In my foregoing invention is included a novel means for making and breaking the current through the shifting of an electric contact from contact plate to contact plate within the mass of the resistance material, the plates being spaced apart at predetermined and preferably equal distances and each being formed with a contact lug projecting through a slot in the casing.

The object of my present invention is to provide a means for controlling the throw of the contact arm and contact finger relatively to the contact disks, no less eificient than means for a similar purpose included in my application referred to but different in construction therefrom.

Relating then to devices of the character referred to and special means for mounting and operating such devices, all as illus trated in the accompanying drawings and herein described, the particular subjectmatter which I claim as novel is particularly specified in the claims.

The accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, which inupractice has given satisfactory and reliable results, are not, however, to be understood as limiting my invention to the precise form or dimensions of the elemental parts illustrated, because they can be obviously modified without departing from my invention broadly considered.

In the drawings,-

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my regulator.

Fig. 2 represents a bottom plan View of the regulator of Fig. 1. v

Fig. 3 represents a fragmentary central sectional vertical detail on the dotted line 33 of Fig. 2, illustrating the application of my thumb knob to the crank carrying sleeve which operates the contact arm.

Fig. 4 represents a perspective detail of the bracket plate removed from the body of the casing.

Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of the crank carrying sleeve also removed from the casing.

Fig. 6 represents a fragmentary sectional detail through said crank carrying sleeve and its crank.

Fig. 7 represents an elevational detail of my thumb knob which operates the crank carrying sleeve and its crank removed from the regulator, and

Fig. 8 represents a perspective view of the retaining plate which secures the thumb knob in place.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

1 designates the body of the casing composed of porcelain or other refractory material, which is cylindric except as to a front face 2, which is flattened as best shown the resistance material 3 in the form of lamina between which lie the conducting plates 1 the corner lugs of which are designated 5.

6 designates the plug shell above the casing and 7 the socket shell below said casing. The casing itself, illustrated fragmentarily in Figs. 2 and 3, is designated 8. All of the foregoing elements are the same as in the regulator of my pending application and require no further description.

9 designates the contact arm the mounting and control of which my invention particularly comprehends, and which is a plate of the general outline illustrated in Fig. 1, which at its outer end terminates in a contact finger 10 and is formed with an enlarged or doubly flanged central or body portion 11 within which is a segmental slot 40 through which a sleeve 22 hereinafter described passes, and formed with an inner end 12 extending beyond said body portion,

' which is pivotally connected at 13 to a bracket plate 14, see Fig. 4c. This bracket plate is secured to the body of the casing by being provided at its top edges with overturned elbows 15 adapted to catch over or so to speak hang upon the upper edge of the flat frontface 2 of the body, and is preferably widened by a pivot carrying-extension 16 through an aperture in which the pivot 13 passes and at its lower part is inturned to form a limb or extension 17, which is formed with a terminal eye 18 through which passes the central bolt 19 of the regulator, a nut 20 on the lower threaded end of which clamps a mica disk 21 which secures the socket shell 7 in place.

22 designates a sleeve the interior of which is axially hollow as at 23, Fig. 6, and the exterior of which is squared or polygonal as at 2 1. This hollow sleeve is mounted for rotary movement upon a stud pin 25, see Figs. 3 and 1, which is internally fastened conveniently by a swaged head 26 to the bracket plate 1 1.

27 designates a crank at its outer end formed with a slot 28 and at its inner end fixedly secured to the exterior of the hol low sleeve 22 by being formed with a squared aperture 29 fitted upon the squared exterior of said pin and fastened in place by a head 30, best shown in Fig. 6.

Obviously, in the rotary movement of the sleeve 22, the crank 27 will be deflected in one or the other direction and by being connected through its slot 28 with a slot pin 31 on the flanged body 11 of the contact arm 9, will occasion the movement in one or the other direction of said contact arm about its pivot 13 so that the contact finger 10 will be moved into contact with such one of the corner lugs 5 of the resistance plates 4 as may be desired. The throw of this crank for the purpose above explained is occasioned by the rotary movement of an operating thumb knob 32, which is internally and axially formed with a squared or polygonal socket 33, see Fig. 7, mounted upon the squared or polygonal exterior 24: of the hollow sleeve 22.

In order to secure the thumb knob 32 permanently upon the sleeve 22, I form a groove 34: in the shank 35 of said thumb knob, see Fig. 7, into which groove there enters the grooved recess 36 of a retaining plate or washer 37, which as best shown in Fig. 2 is fixedly secured to the casing proper 8 by fastening screws 38, which pass through the requisite openings in the casing 8 and enter and are fastened within screw sockets 39.

The operation of my regulator will be easily understood and is as follows Assume the contact finger 10 of the contact arm 9 in electrical contact with the uppermost of the resistance plates 1, as shown in Fig. 1, the position of the contact arm as an entirety with relation to its pivot 13 will then be such as shown in Fig. 1. That is to say, the base of the slot 10 will be in contact with the exterior of the sleeve 22, the crank will occupy the diagonal upstanding position illustrated and the slot pin 31 will be at the outer end of the slot 28 of said crank.

In order then to deflect the contact arm 9 in order to bring its contact finger 10 into contact with any one of the lower contact lugs 5 of the conducting plates 1, all that will'be necessary to do will be to give an appropriate quarter turn in the reverse of a clockwise turn, of the thumb knob, in order through the crank and its slot connection with the slot pin 31 on the contact arm body to effect the desired throw of the contact finger.

The conducting wires which effect the electrical connection through the lamp when applied and between the plug shell 6 and the socket shell 7 being those usual in this class of devices and referred to in my pending application for patent already mentioned, are not illustrated or described, it being suflicient to state that the entire control of the intensity of the light or operation of the device operated upon, is

flat front face,a mass of resistance material within said body,a plurality of contact plates which divide the resistance material into layers and are formed with contact lugs,a bracket plate secured to the flat front face of said body and extending beneath the base of the body,a contact arm at its inner end pivoted to said bracket plate, at its outer end provided with a contact finger, and 'intermediately of its length formed with a segmental slot through which a hollow sleeve extends,a hollow sleeve rotatable upon a stud pin extending outwardly from the bracket plate, to which sleeve the inner end of a crank is fixedly connected,-a crank connected to said sleeve and having a slot in its outer end,a pin extending outwardly from the contact arm and entered within said slot,-and a thumb knob fitted upon the exterior of said hollow sleeve and extending exteriorly of said body,whereby upon the turning of the thumb knob and consequent rotary movement of the crank the contact arm is swung upon its pivot.

2. In an electric regulating plug and socket, the combination of a body form of non-conducting material and having a fiat front face,-a mass of resistance material within said body,-a plurality of contact plates which divide the resistance material into layers and are formed with contact lugs,a bracket plate secured by overturned elbows formed upon its upper end to the flat front face of said body and extending beneath the base of the body,a contact arm at its inner end pivoted to said bracket plate, at its outer end provided with a contact finger, and intermediately of its length formed with a segmental slot through which a hollow sleeve extends,a hollow sleeve rotatable upon a stud pin extending outwardly from the bracket plate, to which sleeve the inner end of a crank is fixedly connected,-a crank connected to said sleeve and slotted at its outer end,a slot pin extending outwardly from the contact arm and entered within said crank slot-and a thumb knob fitted upon the exterior of said hollow sleeve and extending exteriorly of said body, whereby upon the turning of the thumb knob and consequent rotary movement of the crank' the contact arm is swung upon its pivot.

3. In an electric regulating plug and socket, the combination of a body formed of non-conducting material and having a flat front face, a mass of resistance material within said body,-a plurality of contact plates which divide the resistance material into layers and are formed with contact lugs,a casing, inclosing said body,a bracket plate secured to the flat front face of said body and extending beneath the base of the body,-a contact arm at its inner end pivoted to said bracket plate, at its outer end provided with a contact finger, and intermediately of its length formed with a segmental slot through which a hollow sleeve extends,-a hollow sleeve rotatable upon a stud pin extending outwardly from the bracket plate, to which sleeve the inner end of a crank is fixedly connected, a crank connected to said sleeve and slotted at its outer end,-a slot pin extending outwardly from the contact arm. and entered within said crank slot,a thumb knob fitted upon the exterior of said hollow sleeve, extending exteriorly of said body and formed with a groove upon its shank, whereby upon the turning of the thumb knob and consequent rotary movement of the crank the contact arm is swung upon its pivot,-and a retaining plate secured to the casing and formed with a grooved recess which fits the groove in the thumb knob and retains said knob in position.

at. In a device of the character described, a mechanism to operate a contact finger, which comprises a pivoted contact arm, formed with a segmental slot and having a slot pin extending from its outer face,--a hollow sleeve mounted and rotatable upon a fixed stud pin and extending through the slot in said contact arm,-the fixed stud pin aforesaid,-a slotted crank secured to and rotatable with said hollow sleeve and the slot of which is in engagement with said slot pin,and a thumb knob externally mounted upon said hollow sleeve and adapted when turned to turn the crank and through the slot connection between said crank and said contact arm to effect the throw of said contact arm upon its pivot.

5. In a device of the character described, a mechanism to mount and operate a contact finger, which comprises a bracket plate,a contact arm pivoted to said bracket plate, formed with a segmental slot and having a slot pin extending from its outer face,a hollow sleeve mounted and rotatable upon a fixed stud pin and extending through the slot in said contact arm,the fixed stud pin aforesaid,a slotted crank secured to and rotatable with said hollow sleeve and the slot of which is in engagement with said slot pin,and a thumb knob externally and fixedly mounted upon said hollow sleeve and adapted when turned to turn the crank and through the slot connection between said crank and said contact arm (to effect the throw of said contact arm upon its pivot.

6. in a device of the character described, a mechanism to mount and operate a contact finger, which comprises a b 'acket plate,a contact arm pivoted to said bracket plate formed with a segmental slot and having a slot pin extending from its .outer face,-a hollow sleeve mounted and rotatable upon a fixed stud pin and extending through the slot in said contact arm,-the fixed stud pin aforesaid,-a slotted crank secured to and rotatable with said hollow sleeve and the slot of which is in engagement with said slot pin,-'a thumb knob formed with a groove upon its shank, externally and fixedly mounted upon said hollow sleeve and adapted when turned to turn the crank and through the slot connection between said crank and said contact arm to effect the throw of said contact arm'upon its pivot,and a fixed and recessed retaining plate which fits the groove in the thumb knob and retains it in place.

7. In a device of the character described, a mechanism to mount and operate a contact finger, which comprises a bracket plate formed with overturned fastening elbows, a contact arm pivoted to said bracket plate, formed with a segmental slot and having a slot pin extending from its outer face,a hollow sleeve mounted and rotatable upon a fixed stud pin and extending through the slot in said contact arm,-the fixed stud pin aforesaid,a slotted crank secured to and rotatable with said hollow sleeve and the slot of which is in engagement with said slot pin,a thumb knob formed with a groove upon its shank, externally and fixedly mount ed upon said hollow sleeve and adapted when turned to turn the crank and through the slot connection between said crank and said contact arm to effect the throw of said contact arm upon its pivot,-and a fixed and recessed retaining plate which fits the groove in the thumb knob and retains it in place.

ANTONIO PAPINI.

lVitnesses JOHN A. \VIEDERsHmM, N. BUSSINGER. 

